Incyte's Opzelura is First Topical JAK Inhibitor Approved in US

FDA approved Opzelura for the short-term and non-continuous chronic treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in patients 12 and older.

Opzelura™ (ruxolitinib) cream from Incyte is now the first and only topical formulation of a JAK inhibitor approved in the United States. FDA approved Opzelura for the short-term and non-continuous chronic treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in non-immunocompromised patients 12 years of age and older whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies, or when those therapies are not advisable. 

“Atopic dermatitis is a chronic immune-mediated disease that can be challenging to manage. Many patients do not respond well to existing treatments and have uncontrolled disease,” says Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Dermatology and Director of Clinical Research and Contact Dermatitis at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “As a clinician, I am excited to have a non-steroidal topical cream like Opzelura.”

Research shows dysregulation of the JAK-STAT pathway contributes to key features of AD such as itch, inflammation and skin barrier dysfunction.

“The approval of Opzelurais an important advancement in the treatment of AD, and we are pleased to offer a novel topical treatment option that targets a pathway believed to be a source of inflammation,” says Hervé Hoppenot, Chief Executive Officer, Incyte. “At Incyte, we are committed to transforming the treatment of immune-mediated dermatologic conditions like AD. We look forward to bringing Opzelurato the patient community and also continuing to explore its potential in other challenging skin diseases.”

The FDA approval is based on data from the TRuE-AD (Topical Ruxolitinib Evaluation in Atopic Dermatitis) clinical trial program, consisting of two randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled Phase 3 studies (TRuE-AD1 and TRuE-AD 2) evaluating the safety and efficacy of Opzelura in more than 1,200 adolescents and adults with mild to moderate AD. Results from the studies show patients experienced significantly clearer skin and itch reduction when treated with Opzelura cream 1.5% twice daily (BID), compared to vehicle (non-medicated cream):

• Significantly more patients treated with Opzelura achieved Investigator’s Global Assessment (IGA) Treatment Success (IGA-TS, primary endpoint) at Week 8 (defined as an IGA score of 0 [clear] or 1 [almost clear] with at least a 2-point improvement from baseline): 53.8% in TRuE-AD1 and 51.3% in TRuE-AD2, compared to vehicle (15.1% in TRuE-AD1, 7.6% in TRuE-AD2; P<0.0001).

• Significantly more patients treated with Opzelura experienced a clinically meaningful reduction in itch from baseline at Week 8, as measured by a ≥4-point reduction in the itch Numerical Rating Scale (itch NRS4): 52.2% in TRuE-AD1 and 50.7% in TRuE-AD2, compared to vehicle (15.4% in TRuE-AD1, 16.3% in TRuE-AD2; P<0.0001), among patients with an NRS score of at least 4 at baseline.